This invention relates generally to right angle drive units and more particularly to a drive connection for such devices.
Right angle drive units having drive connections directly connecting angularly disposed drive and driven shafts are well known. Drive units of this type are widely used in agricultural, mining, stationary and mobile industrial and railway applications. In such applications, it is common practice to use a conventional differential housing and modify or replace certain standard parts so that they cooperate with the differential housing to establish a direct drive between angularly disposed drive and driven shafts.
One method is to provide a modified cross member having its outer ends fixed to the differential housing and directly key or spline the driven shafts to central openings in the cross member. Another known method consists of using all conventional differential parts, i.e., differential housing, cross shaft and cooperating pinion mate and side gears, and welding the internal parts so that they are prevented from rotating relative to each other.
While the above devices operate satisfactorily, some are structurally complex and costly while others using all standard parts are difficult to disassemble when replacement is necessary.